Tinchy Stryder proves ‘Number 1’ with crowd at V Festival 2009

MC thrills The Arena audience with Chemical Brothers/Calvin Harris-sampling set

Tinchy Stryder proved an early favourite at the 2009 V Festival this afternoon (August 22), seemingly able to direct the Chelmsford crowd to join in with him at will.

Playing The Arena stage, the recent chart topper brought a pantomime feel to the event, with a set heavy on audience participation.

Taking to the stage by freestyling over The Chemical Brothers‘ ‘Block Rockin’ Beats’, the diminutive MC had the crowd singing along, chanting and dancing on request.

“I need everyone to help me sing my songs,” he told the audience ahead of ‘Stryderman’, with the crowd duly obliging.

Later he and a backing vocalist split the giant tent crowd down the middle, getting each side to attempt to outdo the other by screaming his name out loud.

“I like this crowd,” Stryder declared as the audience sang along to ‘Express Urself’, before sending them wild by sampling Calvin Harris’ ‘I’m Not Alone’, which he knocked off the top of the charts back in April.

However the most noise inevitably came as, after taking a brief break from the stage, the MC returned to deliver a blistering version of the aptly titled, N-Dubz-featuring chart topper ‘Number 1’.

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The trio did not put in appearance, leaving the crowd to supply backing vocals, but are due to take the same stage later this afternoon. Stay tuned to NME.COM for a full report.

NME.COM is coming live from both the V Festival sites this weekend (August 22-23). Stay tuned to NME.COM/festivals/v-festival for news reports, blogs, video interviews and photos from the event. Plus get next Wednesday’s (August 26) issue of NME for the ultimate V Festival review.
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